MS Dhoni-led CSK will be looking forward to their fourth IPL title in the UAE.
The IPL 2020 will kick-off from 19 September, Saturday in Abu Dhabi. The long-awaited season of the league will be conducted across three venues – Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai over the next 53 days. A total of 56 league stage matches will be conducted before the four playoff games to be held in November 2020.
The most consistent side in the tournament, Chennai Super Kings, will be itching to begin the tournament against the most successful side, Mumbai Indians in the IPL 13 opener. While the Super Kings did not participate in 2016 and 2017, they reached the playoffs each time in the remaining 10 seasons.
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The CSK camp faced a huge hurdle when 13 members from their side tested positive for COVID-19 towards the end of August 2020. Almost everybody tested negative after completing the quarantine period and the team was cleared to begin practice. The credit for regaining calm in the side was given to their veteran skipper MS Dhoni.
Dhoni will be leading the fondly-called ‘Daddies' Army’ in IPL 2020 and will be looking forward to equal Mumbai Indians’ record of 4 IPL titles. CSK has a squad that makes them a contender to win yet another season of the IPL.
Team COC has a look at who the top 5 players will be that can help CSK win IPL 13
MS DHONI
The legendary CSK skipper MS Dhoni will be at the helm of his side’s performances in IPL 2020. The fans are expecting him to be even more committed to CSK now that he has announced his retirement from international cricket and that the next IPL is only 7 months away.
In the IPL, he has scored 4,432 runs in 170 innings at an average of 42.21. Maintaining an average above 40 in over 150 T20 innings is exceptional and the 39-year-old has done it at a strike rate of 137.85.
In IPL 2019, MSD was the highest run-getter for CSK with 416 runs in 12 innings at an average of a whopping 83.20. He would like to continue this form in IPL 2020 and give CSK the required batting depth.
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As a batsman, MSD provides support and confidence to his batsmen who return with exceptional results for the side. This year, his role as a captain will be equally important to that as a batsman in the UAE with spinners having an edge over the pacers. We might see the vintage Dhoni take over and strike some lusty blows throughout the season to take his team home.
The veteran might even bat in the top order this season as he likes to play against the spinners while building an innings and attack in the death overs.
If MS Dhoni bats at No. 3 or 4, he might even have a chance at grabbing the Orange Cap Award at the end of the season, for scoring the most runs in IPL 13.
AMBATI RAYUDU
Ambati Rayudu is an important piece in CSK’s batting plans. He has played a lot of cricket on Indian turning pitches and has an excellent batting technique to face spin in the UAE conditions. His job has an added responsibility in IPL 2020 due to the absence of Suresh Raina.
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Rayudu was a vital cog in the side during his tenure with the Mumbai Indians and he has continued to play the supporting role even after switching to CSK. He has scored 3,300 runs in 140 IPL innings at an average of 28.70. He is somebody who likes to keep rotating the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking over. His strike rate of 125.95 is the validation for it.
CSK’s batting will hinge around the 34-year-old cricketer from Hyderabad who will be required to keep the spinners at bay along with his skipper MS Dhoni. Rayudu is also an important fielder in the deep along with the likes of Ravindra Jadeja. It adds to his responsibilities for the season and the team has to ensure he remains fit throughout the season.
RAVINDRA JADEJA
Ravindra Jadeja will have to play the premier all-rounder’s role for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020. The fact that he is a spinner will be a boost for the side as the UAE pitches are expected to aid the slower bowlers. CSK will also be seeking his prime abilities with the bat as a finisher along with MS Dhoni.
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The no. 3 ranked Test all-rounder has been brilliant in all three formats in the past few years. This IPL season might be the best opportunity for him to capitalize on and become an impact player for the Chennai side.
In 142 innings in the IPL, Jadeja has picked 108 wickets at an average of 29.19 while maintaining an economy rate of 7.58. To add to it, he has made 1927 runs in 128 batting innings at a strike rate just above 120.
In IPL 13, the 31-year-old left-hander might be needed more with the ball and in the field than with the bat. However, if there is a need for him to score some runs at the fag end of the innings, Jadeja will have to be ready to swing his blade.
DWAYNE BRAVO
CSK will be lucky to have the legendary T20 all-rounder in their side. Dwayne Bravo has made rapid strides in T20 cricket and has recently become the first bowler to take 500 wickets in the format.
The Trinidadian all-rounder has a vast experience of playing T20 cricket in a number of franchise-based competitions around the world. He has been incredibly successful in the IPL as well winning the Purple Cap (award for the highest wicket-taker in the tournament) in 2013 and 2015 for the Super Kings.
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In twelve previous seasons of the IPL, he has picked 147 wickets at an average of 24.61 and an economy of 8.40. His slower deliveries will be like gold for CSK where the pitches might also be slower.
He has not been at his best with the bat in the past couple of years but he can win matches out of nowhere on his day. DJ Bravo will have to play his role to perfection and allow MS Dhoni the luxury to tinker with the rest of his line-up as and when required.
IMRAN TAHIR
The South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir will most probably be CSK’s fourth overseas pick in the side alongside Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis/Lungi Ngidi and DJ Bravo.
The purple cap winner in 2019 bamboozled the batsmen with his tricks on Indian pitches and he will be licking his lips looking at the possibility of slow turners in UAE. He is another player in the side that brings immense experience to the table, which is vital on slow pitches and low-scoring games.
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In the IPL, the 41-year-old has picked 79 wickets in just 55 matches and enjoys a strike rate of just 15.52. Having played against most of the batsmen featuring in IPL 2020, the Proteas tweaker will have a few strategies planned going into the tournament.
He will most probably be used in the middle overs of an innings. In the last year, Tahir has a brilliant strike rate of 13.60 and an economy of just 6.34 in the middle overs.
MS Dhoni might have the South African in his playing XI for all the games. If he does so, the CSK fans will surely be in for a treat as the wily leg-spinner cannot be held back once he gets going with the ball.